There are few things I enjoy more than a great summertime song. They’re bright, they’re exciting, and they remind me of my favorite time of the year.

There’s no telling what this summer in K-pop will bring, but over the next few weeks I’ll be flashing back each day, showcasing a highlight from past summers. The rules are simple: I fire up my carefully compiled “K-pop summer” playlist, hit ‘shuffle,’ and if the song that pops up hasn’t already been featured on the site, it gets a post and mini-review of its own.

So, get ready for a summer of K-pop on The Bias List!

(View all the Summer of K-pop songs here)

<< Song 37 >>

Kara – Umbrella (2010)

You might not immediately think of Kara’s Umbrella when compiling a summertime playlist, but I’ve always thought its brash, brassy instrumental fit particularly well with the season. It’s also just a great Sweetune-produced track, shuffling toward a lush, layered chorus that feels at once sprightly and refined. My favorite moment comes during the bridge, when the instrumental grows more bombastic only to give way to a catchy interlude peppered by effusive backing vocals. It has a classic, Abba-esque appeal that’s hard not to get swept up in.